“Ring around the rosy

A pocket full of posies

Ashes, ashes

We all fall down…”

Sang the little kid sitting by the school’s waiting shed while swinging her little legs that couldn’t even reach the floor. Her eyes were already misty, she’s been waiting for someone to pick her up, and it’s been two hours since classes for Pre School were ended.

“Dad…” She mumbled and a tear fell down from the little girl’s eyes. She quickly wipes her tears and remembered what her father told her: “It’s just you and me, Hana. If you’ll always smile then I’ll always smile; if you cry, Daddy will be in pain too, so be a strong girl. Daddy will do everything and anything for my little princess.”

“Hana?”

The little girl diverted her gaze from the ground to the owner of the voice.

“What are you doing here? You should be home by now. Where's your Father? Wait, come with me to the Principal's Office and call him." The lady around her early 20's said as she approaches Hana patting the little girl's head.

The little girl shook her head.

"Daddy's too busy, Teacher Sooyoung..." The little girl mumbled, she could feel tears wanting to escape from her eyes

Not knowing what to do, the Teacher pulled her student in a taut hug. She carried her and wipes the tear b in Hana's eyes. 

"Sooyoung! Let's g-

Tiffany was haulted when she saw her fellow teacher, Sooyoung carrying one of her students. It's just the first day of classes, and she's a new Faculty member, but the little girl was just too pretty that she can't forget her name. Her name suited her, too.

"Hana? Why are you still here? Where are your parents?" She asked as she went near them and caress the younger girl's back like telling her 'it's okay'.

Hana broke into tears.

Tiffany was astounded, so was Sooyoung. Both of them hallucinated on what should they do to make her stop crying.

"No, Hana, stop crying..." Tiffany comforted her student and wipes the little girl's tears that keeps on falling from her beautiful eyes.

"I said wait for m-

The school's about to close and the Teacher's were already leaving.

"Hey, Hana, where's your Father? Didn't you tell him that you'll be dismissed early today since it's the first day?" Another teacher approaches them, Yuri

Unlike Tiffany, Sooyoung and Yuri has been serving as a Teacher in Gwonseon Academy for a year now. So they are somehow familiar with the little girl's whereabouts about her family.

Yuri took Hana from Sooyoung as she tuck some strands of the little girl's hair behind her ear.

"If her Dad's not available then call her Mom." Suggested Tiffany

Sooyoung and Yuri threw sullen glances to each other. Meaningful glances. Being the 'newbie' she's totally clueless with their reaction to her suggestion.

"What? Don't you like my idea?" She asked, still clueless

"Hana, Let's wait for your Dad, okay?" Both Yuri and Sooyoung ignored Tiffany's suggestion

They sat on one of the benches on the school's waiting shed while waiting for Hana's father to arrive. 

10 minutes had passed and Hana was fast asleep now, making Sooyoung’s lap her pillow. She cried herself to sleep.

Tiffany was still wondering why her two co-teachers were still willingly waiting for Hana’s good-for-nothing Father. She’s finding for the right reason and all she could ever come up with was that maybe the two just pitied the little girl.

“I thought you’re hungry, Soo. Where did your hungriness go?” Tiffany asked Sooyoung whose busy caressing the little girl’s hair, Yuri’s beside her and she’s doing the same.

“Food can wait. It’s Hana and her Father we are talking about. Look at this little angel, we can’t just leave her here.” Her voice was almost a whisper. Cautious that she might wake the little girl up

“Her Father must be lacking with common sense, it’s the first day of school, of course he went through that and must realize that some classes will eventually dismiss early.” Tiffany stood up from the bench and groans in dismay

Sooyoung and Yuri exchange meaningful glances again which never failed to catch Tiffany’s prying eyes

“Tiffany, Mr. Choi is really busy you see he-

“Now what, you’re defending him? How could he do that to Hana?”

Tiffany you should stop

“I bet he looks old now because, like what you said, he’s always busy.”

Old? Watch your words Tiffany

Yuri has to signal her to stop because she might wake Hana up

Or maybe someone’s behind her

Someone

“Mr. Choi, she fell asleep.”

Tiffany was frozen on where she stood, she can’t even look behind her because she knew she’s in trouble.

“She